Time stamp



Sept. 15, 1936.v A. @JOHNSON ET AL 2,054,127

` TIME STAMP Filed April 50, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l (gasfin Cno,g/lzeocZOPe/YMO? naamw SCP- 15, 1935 A. c. JOHNSON ET A1. 2,054,127

r TIME STAMP Filed April 3o, 1954 5 sheets-sheet, 2

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SePt- 15, 1935- A.vc. JOHNSON Ei- Al. 2,054,127

TIME STAMP y Filed April 30, 1954 5 sheets-sheet 5 fnvemzzns PatentedSept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES TIME STAMP Austin C. Johnson and TheodoreM. Wroble, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 30, 1934, Serial No. 723,026

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to time stamps for imprinting the date and exacttime on papers, and has as one of its objects the provision of a simpleand strongly built time and date imprint- 5 ing stamp and a cooperatingink pad which will be more durable an-d satisfactory than those now incommon use.

In addition to permanent imprinting characters the stamp provides bothshiftable date characters and iixed and movable time characters all ofwhich are formed as projections on cushion pads preferably constructedof rubber, which, as is well known, soon softens and disintegrates ifmaintained in contact with an ink pad. The

movable time characters include rotating hour and minute hands whichmust be normally maintained clear of the ink pad when rotated. Themaintenance of theV characters out of contact with the pad, except whenit is desired to ink the same, may be accomplished by providing aseparate or detached pad, but this involves the possibility ofmisplacing the pad and requires time and attention in moving the stampinto operative contact with the pad.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved timestamp, also adapted as a desk clock, and a base member providing a xedsupport for an ink pad and a seat for the stamp, said seat normallymaintaining the stamp with its imprinting characters positionedimmediately above and out of contact with the pad and yieldable topermit the stamp under downward pressure to bring the characters intoequal and uniform contact with the pad.

In order that all of the imprinting characters be similarly inked uponcontact with the pad, and that impressions of uniform weight beimprinted on documents, it is essential that the impression surfaces ofthe characters be in a common plane under al1 conditions of pressureapplied to the stamp. The dater characters are formed as projectionsfrom thin endless bands of exible material which are manually movablelabout rollers to shift the dater characters as desired, to provide theday, month and year. Since all of the characters other than the datercharacters are formed as projections on relatively thick cushion basesthey yield more under a given pressure than do the dater characters,with the result that the characters impressed upon a paper are of unevenweight and are frequently dim or indistinct. It is another object of theinvention to provide a mounting for the dater characters which yieldsunder pressure sufcientlyto permit the impression surfaces of the datercharacters to remain in a common plane with that of the other charactersunder all conditions of pressure applied to the stamp, wherebyuniformity of inking of the characters and impressions of equal Weightare formed upon 5 a printing surface.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of improved meansconnecting the movable time characters with the actuating clockmechanism.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the -art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end our invention consists in the novel 15 construction,arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts, 20

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a time stamp showing a clock face, withthe stamp in slightly elevated spaced relation above a member providinga support therefor;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 25 of Fig. 3 showing thestamp seated on the supporting member;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the supporting member with a portion brokenaway to show the construction;

Fig. 4 is a view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. V5 is a view along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the lower end of the stamp with aportion of the casing removed to show certain details of construction;35

Fig. '7 is a view along the line 'I--l of Fig. 8 with a portion of thestamp broken away to bet- 'ter illustrate the construction and mountingof the dater device; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a pair of mem- 40 bers forming a movablemounting for the dater device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals Il and II, respectively, generally designate a time stamp and a base mem- 45 berproviding a support for the stamp. The stamp IG includes a casing I2, ahandle I3, and a plate I4 forming the bottom wall of the casing. Theplate I4 has an outer ange I5 within which a cushion pad I6 of rubber,or the like, 50 is iixedly mounted. A plurality of projections formingany suitable characters may be provided on the pad I6. The charactersI'l form the word Bank and the characters I8 form a graduated dial. Thepad I6 is of substantial 55- Y and is carried by a shaft 26 extendingupwardly thickness and the impression faces of the characters I1 and I8lie in a common plane.

The member I4 and the pad I6, respectively, are provided with aperturesI9 and 20 concentric with the dial characters I8. A rotatable sleeve 2I, positioned within the apertures I9 and 20, terminates at its lowerend in an integrally formed centrally apertured collar 22, providing anannular recess 23 concentric with the central aperture. A cushion member24., preferably ofthe same material as the pad I6, provides a characteradapted as an hour hand, the impression face of which.

lies in the same plane as the impression faces of the characters I1 andI8. The sleeve 2I rests;

upon a drum 25 which is open at its lower end 'shaft 26 by a pinion. 56,a gear 3| and a. pinion 3ft 32, in a manner such that the sleeve 2l andthe hour hand 2.4iv carried thereby makes a complete revolution everytwelve hours. A bracket 4I rigidly mounted in the casing I2., as shown,provides a support for the pinion and the gear 3| and also for the shaft26.

The shaft 2.6 is operatively connected with a horological motor,generally designated by the numeral 34,- by means of a setv of gearsgenerally `designated by the numeral 33. The gears 33, motor 34, hourand minute hands and 36 and anV exposed dial 'face 3l,v together form aclock: mechanism adapting the stamp for a time piece as well as anactuator of the pointer char-A acters 24 and 28. Further description ofthe. clock mechanism is omitted as being well' known. and not Yformingany portion of' theinvention.

The shaft 26 is held against longitudinal movement by contact of thepinion 32 with a lower face ofthe bracket 4I and by contact of the gear38 with the upper surface of a lip 42j projecting from the bracket'. Thetotal depth of the characters I'I., I8 and 2.4., including their cushionpads being substantially equal, will compress equally under the. samepressure and the; impression faces of such characters will remain in acommon plane for all pressures to. which they may be subjected in usingthe stamp.

The: plate I4. and the pad I6 are provided with alignedV apertures 34and 4U', respectively, through which projects the lower endof` a daterdevice mounted on a Ushaped frame 43, best shown in Fig. 8, and animportant feature of the invention is'theprovision of a mountingpermitting the dater device toy yield as a unit under pressure on thestamp so that the compression faces of the operative dater charactersare maintained in the same plane as the impression faces of thecharactersY I1, I8 and 24 and for this purpose the frame 43 is supportedby pins 45, moun-ted in frame apertures G4 and adapted to normally restupon the bottom plate I4. The frame d3 is positioned iin recesses 46yformed on theplate I4 whichserve as guides permitting vertical movementYof the dater device relative tothe casing I2 in which it is mounted. Theupper end of the frame 43 is held against lateral movement by means of apair of pins 41 projecting downwardly through apertures 48 provided inthe top of the frame. The pins 4l are mounted on a boss 54, forming partof the casing I2, and extend through recesses 52 in the ends of a springplate 5I so positioned between the frame 43 and the boss 54 that theplate tends to hold the dater device with the pins` in contact with theplate I4. j

The dater device comprises a plurality of thin, endless flexible bandsrespectively providing characters indicating the year, month, days ofthe month, and A. M. and P. M. indicia, the bands beinggadapted to bemanipulated in the usual manner to provide any desired date. The bandseXtend around an upper rod 5S and a lower rod 5l, respectively xedlymounted in apertures 49 Vand 5! provided in the opposite sides of theframe 43. The bands 55 are each operable by a disc 58 engaging acylindrical collar 59 rotatably mounted on the rod 56 in frictionalengagement with the respectivebands. A removable plate 66, slotted topermit a. limited portion iof each disc 58 to project therethrough,forms a cover for the dater apparatus-and permits the individual discsto be manually operated. Inasmuch as the-bands 55 are relatively thin,the Ycharacters .formed thereon yield less for any given pressure thanVdo the charactersi'e',I I3 and 24.v Thedater deviceis so constructed andmounted thatthe impression faces of its characters normallylie in thesame plane as the impressionfaces of the characters II', I8 and 2. Thespring plate 5I is adapted to permit upward movement of the dater deviceto compensate for the difference in compression of its characters and ofthe other characters having a thicker cushion ,base thereby maintainingthe impression Vfaces offits characters constantly inalignment,withthecorresponding faces of the other characters.A I

The base member IIV comprises a ..bo ttom wall 63 having an upwardlyprojecting middle portion 64 and Va flanged edge 65 of substantialdepth. A plate 66 of larger dirnensionsgthan the bottom portion 64 isfastened to the latter by screws 61 with its projecting edges forminganupturned flange 68 to provide a4 receptacle. in Whichan; ink pad 'I5is. mounted and preferablyfastened by any suitableadhesive material. Y

A member 69, extending around and in closely spaced relation to theinner surfaces of, the flanged edge. 65, provides aseat for the stampIll. The lower edge of themember; 69 is posi- Ytioned in a recess 'I4extending around .the base member between the flanged-.edgal vand thebottom plate portionf64 and has a. plurality of inwardly projecting,lugs I0 underlying the pro.- jecting portion of the plateA 66. .Theupper edge of the member 69 provides a shoulder Il surrounded by aninwardly tapering flanged edge l2 adapted asa guide. in positioningv thestamp upon the shoulder. The memberiGQ: is supported by a plurality ofsprings. I3 .adaptedto hold rthe member in elevated position with the.-lugs 'I0 in contact with the plate .66. The. springsV 1,3 aresufficiently resilient to maintain the member 6.9.l in elevated positionunderthe weightof thestamp, in which position the stampcharacters areinclosely spaced relation to the ink pad 75. Sufficient clearance spaceis provi'dedbetween the member 69 andthe bottom member 63 to permitmovement of the member 69 downwardly under pressure exerted on thestan-1p and to thereby operatively engagetheimpression faces KOE of thestampcharacterswith the pad 115./V

The base member Il has hemi-spherical supporting lugs 'I6 ofnon-abrasive cushioning material adapting the device to be mounted on atable top or other finished surface, whereby such surfaces are notmarred or mutilated in manipulating the stamp. Y i Thus, it will be seenthat we have provided an improved time stamp of the kind described,wherein the impression faces of all the characters both movable andimmovable, lie in a common plane under al1 pressures applied to thestamp, and that we have provided an improved supporting member for thestamp including an inking pad normally in spaced apart relation to thestamp characters, including a seat for the stamp adapted to yield underpressure on the stamp to permit uniform inking of the characters.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of our invention; hence we do not Wish to be understood aslimiting ourselves to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What We claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stamp of the kind described, a casing, a cushion pad carried bythe casing having a plurality of equally compressible projectionsproviding imprinting characters having their faces all lying in a commonplane, a dater device comprising a frame and providing a plurality ofimprinting characters selectively movable to position their impressionfaces in said common plane, the compressibility of said dater charactersbeing substantially less than that of said pad characters, and means forcompensating for the difference in compressibility of said pad and datercharacters.

2. In a stamp of the kind described, a casing, a cushion pad carried bythe casing having a plurality of equally compressible projectionsproviding imprinting characters having their faces all lying in a commonplane, a dater device comprising a frame and providing a plurality ofimprinting characters selectively movable to position their impressionfaces in said common plane, the compressibility of said dater charactersbeing substantially less than that of said pad characters, and means forcompensating for the difference in compressibility of said pad and datercharacters, said means comprising a resilient member adapted to normallyhold said dater frame in a position wherein the selectively positioneddater characters lie in said common plane when the stamp is not in useand yieldable to permit compensating movement of the frame underpressure exerted on said characters when force is applied to said stampto impress said characters upon a printing surface.

AUSTIN C. JOHNSON. THEODORE M. WROBLE.

